Articles w/ cons of RNY?

Ellie J.
on 8/4/11 1:16 am - TN
I had RNY surgery 9 years ago, and have recently become one of the horror stories that would be used to promote the DS.  I actually browsed these boards a couple years ago because I wanted a revision, but have lost 50 lbs in the past year because I became seriously ill.  I am actually "anti-RNY" now. :( 

I know there used to be some knowledgable people on here about complications from the RNY, and am looking for any articles  (or people) who might've experienced an undiagnosed perforated duodenal ulcer.  I was sick for 5 years, and during its early stages the ulcer wasn't able to be diagnosed because it was in my remnant stomach.  It took being perforated and leaking bile and stomach acid into my abdominal cavity for it to even be diagnosed.  I went to the ER and ended up having 2 back to back surgeries (one lap, one open), being transferred by ambulance to a bigger hospital w/ a trauma surgery team, and staying in the hospital for 8 days where I had tons of tubes (3 in my stomach, one in my neck, etc) before I was able to go home.

I was sent home with a g-tube.  Not for the purpose of "feeding", but so I have a port that the surgeons can access in case I develop another ulcer.  (since I have to be opened up all the way to access my remnant stomach)

Before all of this, I had 3 exploratory lap surgeries --- each time the Drs said there were no ulcers.  I am trying to figure out if I had bad surgeons, or if they really couldn't see my remnant stomach doing a lap procedure.  I am also trying to find out if it's common to use a g-tube as a "port"...despite the surgeons saying it's "healed" and shouldn't bother me, it's really painful and just depressing to have.  I was also told that I was the first case they had seen of this -- so I feel kind of like a guinea pig, and would like to maybe have a DS doctor's contact info so I could ask a few questions.  

I know one of the pros of having the DS is that you get to keep your stomach and things can be diagnosed a lot easier, so that's why I'm asking on this board.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

larra
on 8/4/11 2:18 am - bay area, CA
Ellie, I'm so sorry you have been through all this! You have clearly suffered greatly. I hope you are doing better now.
     Articles documenting longterm results of RNY are surprisingly difficult to come by, and when found discuss mostly how people are doing with their weight and comorbidities, rather than the specific issue you have had. We know in general, and discuss often around this forum, that having a blind stomach that can't be scoped or seen on x-ray is one of the disadvantages of RNY, and your story proves the point. But articles about it? I don't have any.
     As to where you could go from here, I would suggest that you could contact one of the most experienced RNY to DS surgeons to see if they think they might be able to revise you. Given the amount of surgery you've had and possible damage done to your stomach and/or duodenum by the ulcer, the surgery, the tubes, etc., only a true expert could say. the people that come to my mind are Dr. John Rabkin in San Francisco and Dr. Ara Keshishian in Glendale, CA (near Los Angeles). Maybe Dr. Gagner in Montreal.
    If you want some great articles on the DS, you can pm me with your email address. That isn't precisely what you requested, but it's the best I can offer.

Larra
Elizabeth N.
on 8/4/11 3:17 am - Burlington County, NJ
I'm so sorry you're going through this hell. How horrible :-(. I hope that you heal well and can then get with one or more of the docs Larra mentioned to consider your options for a better "fix," assuming it's possible.

I just typed in "gastric bypass late complications" in Google Scholar, and it looks like you would be able to find a few pieces there. Give it a shot and see what you come up with.

Also, contact Beth aka Melting Mama www.meltingmama.net . She is likely to have some ideas or people to suggest.

(deactivated member)
on 8/4/11 4:08 am, edited 8/4/11 4:09 am
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